Trumbull Tourism to transition Army Corps Section 22 grant work to consulting firm; county to host handoff meeting

Trumbull County Tourism told commissioners that a pending U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 22 grant to study sedimentation and water quality in the Mosquito Lake watershed can be handed to K O Consulting (a county-contracted consultant) for contract administration and next steps.

Why it matters: The study would be Corps-led and funded (Section 22 funding covers engineering or technical investigations), and tourism staff said it would support long-term lake management, invasive species control, water quality analysis and future dredging or infrastructure planning. Tourism staff said the contract paperwork currently lists Trumbull County Tourism and recommended transferring administration to the county’s new consultant to ensure continuity and faster progress.

Items discussed at the briefing and next steps: - Tourism staff (who initially carried the application while no other county office had capacity) recommended that K O Consulting assume contract administration so the county — rather than an office of tourism — can manage the Corps contract moving forward. Staff offered to transfer documentation and to set up a transition meeting with K O Consulting and county staff. - Tourism staff said they have gathered letters of support from local governments within the Mosquito Creek watershed and that the Corps’ scope, budget and contract paperwork are at an advanced stage; the tourism office recommended not delaying the transfer. - Commissioners signaled support for a handoff and asked that a meeting be arranged with the K O Consulting project manager and county staff so responsibilities and contract language can be confirmed before formal transfer.

Ending: Tourism staff and county staff agreed to schedule a transition meeting; Tourism said it would provide its compiled materials by shared drive and K O Consulting would assume lead administration upon the agreed handoff.